As the Swiss lake featured in the filming of “Crash Landing on You” began to be crowded with tourists, the locals decided to implement an entrance fee. All of this is a result of the popularity of actors Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin.
According to AFP on June 9 local time, the residents started collecting entrance fees as tourists continued to flock to Iseltwald, a small lakeside town with only about 400 people, which was used as a shooting location for the Korean drama “Crash Landing on You.”
“Crash Landing on You,” which aired from 2019 to 2020, depicts the romance between a second-generation South Korean conglomerate woman and a North Korean military captain. Released on Netflix, the drama created a sensation not only in Korea but also in Japan and throughout Asia.
Iseltwald was chosen as the backdrop for the scenes where North Korean Captain Ri Jung Hyuk (Hyun Bin) plays the piano and thinks of his brother while studying in Switzerland, and where the female lead Yoon Se Ri (Ye Jin) accidentally listens to this piano performance.
Since travel restrictions due to COVID-19 began to be lifted last year, the number of tourists visiting this filming location has significantly increased. In particular, the lakefront pier, where Ri Jung Hyuk’s piano was placed, has become a must-visit spot for tourists.
Titia Bailand, who works in the local tourism office, shared, “The number of tourists has exploded,” and added, “It is estimated that there is only one local resident for every 1,000 visitors.” They admitted, “Everyone in Iseltwald is happy to see more tourists coming, but it is also challenging for us to handle.”
With the increasing number of tourist buses entering the village, traffic congestion often occurs, and the access to the village is sometimes blocked. Some residents complained that fans of “Crash Landing on You” take photos on the pier and leave the surrounding area messy but hardly spend any money.
As a result, the local government issued an announcement last month that a reservation system would be implemented, and parking spaces would only allow buses with prior reservations to enter. They also installed a checkpoint at the lakefront pier and required tourists to pay 5 Swiss francs (approximately 7,200 won) to enter the pier.
Bailand also mentioned the need to charge fees for the maintenance of the pier as more people come to the pier for photo opportunities. They said, “Iseltwald is like paradise on Earth, and we want to preserve it that way.”
